Paddy Griffith's Sprawling Wargames
Reviews
Anon Dec 2009
Anything written My Paddy Griffiths is usually interesting, entertaining and curiously thought provoking. "Napoleonic Wargames for Fun" being one of those seminal books in my wargames life. Not of course that I agree with everything he says, but there again I would argue with anyone…
The fact he has decided figures get in the way of simulations is irrelevant. I actually agree that they probably cause more bother than they are worth for the game itself. However for me and my kind of game they are essential. Different people, different conclusion- wargames is a great world that way and long may it be so.
Ashley TMP
Paddy always writes interesting and thought provoking pieces. I enjoy having my preconceptions challenged, but I can imagine that others find it harder to deal with the challenges.
Mal Wright, Australian Historian
Paddy has a habit of saying what he really thinks, based on research he has really done…not just mused about. Something that did not sit well with American wargamers when he stated that certain traditional beliefs were not necessarily true. But that does not mean he was wrong. Merely that based on research, he made a statement that went against what rule writers and wargamers had relied upon.
When Paddy visited Australia, at the guest of the Australian Army, to give lectures, I had the pleasure of his company over a long weekend. Our first encounter after his arrival was 'prickly' to say the least, but we soon explained Aussie humour to him, after which, and a few glasses of our lovely local wines, things mellowed considerably!
The following day, after a trip through the wine-tasting zone….I hosted him at a reception we held at my home. A large number of wargamers attended and a great Aussie Barbecue, with yet more of the local wine followed.
Although Paddy had by that period, decided that model soldiers were not for him, he none the less delighted in the large sand table battle I had prepared. Taking command of the Russians in our 1904 battle, he quickly issued clear orders to his players, and got right into the fun of it. His side won too! It was a great evening…that started to draw into a long night, with lots of lively discussion.
And discussion is what it was. There were areas of disagreement, and areas of complete agreement. Paddy's style was very much that of a University Professor, who invites those present to 'discuss', not necessarily blindly agree. That is something I realised at once. But perhaps it is something others who have encountered him, do not quite understand. Paddy draws you out, to express your opinion, and can get quite lively in doing so. But that is the role of a good lecturer. A good evening was had by all. Paddy admired the sand table and seemed to take quite a child like delight in encountering one, where he had probably expected a more stilted wargames layout.
The following day I went with him to visit one of our larger wargames clubs. Paddy ran one of 'his' wargames. A type known as a TEWT (Tactical exercise without troops), which was quite new to the large number who took part. And except for two, who didn't seem to understand the concept, everyone seemed to have a great time. I know I enjoyed it immensely.
Paddy's style in a TEWT, was much of the line I try to achieve with a tabletop game. That is to say, to make the battle keep rattling along. Require the players to make decisions, deal with situations, and keep the game moving fast. Therefore I understood the game he ran, and could see that forcing the players to drop their pre-concepts of how a wargame should run, worked well. Much of the fun came about because of the decision making process requiring players who normally agonized over moves, having to make quick decisions under pressure, rather like real situations require.
I had a time restriction on my attendance, that I had not expected to be a problem. But Paddy and the gamers were getting on so well, with questions and discussions rattling back and forth like gunshots, that the visit became rather long. So I had to leave. By then Paddy was munching on one of the lovely 'curry pies' he took a liking too in this country, and grinning widely.
My assessment was that Paddy was extremely well read, knew his subjects, yet welcomed lively discussion. When he encountered my Russo Japanese wargame, he readily admitted it was a subject he knew little about, and probably the least expected thing he had encountered. In fact he confessed that I had him somewhat flummoxed by sitting him down in front of a wargame he had never played before.
Prior to that I had read his books and enjoyed them. I still enjoy them. Many of his ideas are radical to the traditional wargamer, but that does not make them wrong. Those ideas are, after all, based on extensive research of military history.
Therefore I will obtain a copy of his new book, and can recommend that wargamers read it. You dont have to agree, but it you get some good ideas from it, then that can only improve your wargaming.